JANUARY
— Gretchen Whitman retired from the Nature Center of Cape May on Jan. 3 after 27 years as sanctuary director and three years as a volunteer and was replaced by Emily Reed. Reed volunteered at a nature center in her hometown in Wisconsin while in high school and worked for several environmental non-profit organizations across the country while earning a master’s degree evaluating the impact of nature-based education programs before becoming program director in Cape May.
— The Cape May County Zoological Society announced a fundraising campaign to help the Cape May County Park & Zoo build a world-class habitat for Humboldt penguins and Chilean flamingos. The habitat would be constructed at the site of the former World of Birds Aviary and provide a home for 20 penguins and 30 flamingos.
— Cape May Point now has its first all-female Board of Commissioners, featuring incumbent Anita VanHeeswyck along with newcomers Suzanne Yunghans and Elise Geiger.
— A new Lower Township Council was sworn in during its reorganization meeting Jan. 2, when Frank Sippel resumed his post as mayor, Kevin Coombs was named deputy mayor and Joseph Wareham was appointed to an open position. Former deputy mayor David Perry attended his final meeting as a member of council on Dec. 18. He did not seek re-election.
— Cape May’s reorganization meeting scheduled for Jan. 7 was shortened and postponed due to the state of emergency. Gov. Phil Murphy declared Cape May County a state of emergency in response to the storm, which blanketed the city in snow starting in the early hours of Jan. 6 and continued throughout the day. According to reports, Cape May led the way with 8.3 inches.
— Following the retirement of longtime chairman Warren Coupland, several new members were sworn into office Jan. 13 during the Cape May Historic Preservation Commission’s reorganization meeting. He served on the commission since 2007. John Boecker was unanimously appointed chairman, while Jim Testa was appointed vice chairman.
— Several dozen bicyclists gathered Jan. 18 on Jackson Street and the Washington Street Mall to remember Hayden Schofield, a 17-year-old Villas boy who was killed Jan. 14 when his motorcycle collided with a Lower Township trash truck on Bayshore Road near Atlantic Avenue in the Villas section of the township.
— Mayor Anita VanHeeswyk, Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger and Commissioner Suzanne Yunghans were sworn in during the Jan. 15 meeting of Cape May Point Borough Commission. Geiger will oversee the Public Safety and Public Affairs Department and serve as a class III member of the Planning Board and Yunghans will oversee the Public Works Department. VanHeeswyk retained her revenue and finance department.
— A new exhibit explored how Black travelers used the “Green Book” and other publications during the Jim Crow Era to find friendly accommodations in the United States. Its walls lined with little-known history, the “Routes of Black Travel: ‘The Green Book’ in Cape May and Wildwood” opened with a ceremony on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Carroll Gallery at the Emlen Physick Estate. The exhibit, presented by Cape May MAC in association with the Center for Community Arts (CCA), highlights methods of travel for vacation or business to Wildwood and Cape May.
— Joined by his wife and three children, Mayor Zack Mullock was sworn in for his fifth term as Cape May City Council convened Jan. 22 for its reorganization meeting. Newly elected councilman Steve Bodnard was sworn in for his first term. Maureen McDade was sworn in for her first term as deputy mayor. Previous deputy mayor Lorraine Baldwin had nominated McDade to succeed her.
— Cape May City Elementary School’s 2024-25 Teacher of the Year headed abroad again through the Fulbright Program. Sarah Regn, 29, a shared service ESL teacher in Cape May and West Cape May school districts, was accepted for a second time into the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
— Amblin Entertainment, Steven Spielberg’s production company, announced it was making a movie called “The Dish,” which would be partially shot in Woodbine on March 10-14. Considered one of the greatest directors of all time, Spielberg is returning to his sci-fi roots with the film, reprising a beloved genre of movies that includes “E.T,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “War of the Worlds.” Due out May 15, 2026, the movie has an all-star cast that includes Emily Blunt, Colin Firth and Josh O’Connor.
— A fundraiser Jan. 30 at Nauti Spirits benefited artist Sydnei SmithJordan, who was set to receive two prestigious awards from ArtTour International Magazine. The Villas resident hoped to travel in July to Ferrera, Italy to receive her third Top 60 Masters Award and first Art Titan Award. SmithJordan has now won three Masters Awards in a row, putting her in elite company.
— Lower Cape May Regional High School graduate Aylin Alvarez Santiago was part of a group that was nominated for the Television Academy Foundation’s 44th College Television Awards. The Cape May resident was nominated, along with 15 classmates, in the news category for her work as a director, producer and writer on “Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics” while attending Montclair State University. She attended Cape May City Elementary School and Richard M. Teitelman Middle School.
— The Caper Tigers drained a dozen three-pointers during a shootout with Wildwood High School on Jan. 25. Ty Bonner scored 19 points for Lower Cape May Regional High School in the 64-48 win. Cole Sederland finished with 15 points, including four three-pointers, while Ryan Mallon joined in the shootout with 10 points off three shots from beyond the arc.
— The Board of County Commissioners approved funding for the fourth phase of the multimillion-dollar Lafayette Street Park in Cape May on Jan. 28. Commissioners adopted a resolution providing as much as $1,933,173 through a shared services agreement with the city. Cape May awarded a $1,869,475 contract to Massett Building Co. to construct nature trails through the wetlands behind the Cape May City Elementary School.
FEBRUARY
— The Republican Committee of Cape May County threw its endorsement to gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, whom it said respects the county convention process. The endorsement came during the CapeGOP meeting Feb. 5 at Cape Square Theaters in Rio Grande, Middle Township.
— After 14 intense wrestling matches Feb. 12, the South Jersey Group II sectional contest between defending champs Lower Cape May Regional High School and Middle Township came down to criteria tiebreakers. Each team won seven bouts and were tied at 33 points after the final buzzer sounded. That required the scorer’s table to break out the rule book. Criteria F awarded Middle the 34-33 win due to Lower’s forfeit of the 106-pound bout. Middle had zero forfeits.
— Tim Millaway completed a documentary film about Union Bethel Civil War Veterans Cemetery called “Whispers from the Forgotten in Lower Township, New Jersey.” The film was scheduled for its Garden State debut Feb. 15 at the Cape May branch of the Cape May County Library in the former Franklin Street School. The event included a panel discussion with descendants of some of those buried in the cemetery in the spirit of Black History Month. The cemetery is located off Tabernacle Road in the Erma section of the township.
— The Caper Tiger swimmers accomplished something no other Lower Cape May Regional High School swim team had done — winning a sectional playoff meet. The Caper Tigers beat Sterling 101-69 in the opening round of the South Jersey Group C sectional tournament Feb. 3 before falling to Woodstown in the quarterfinals three days later.
— Community members, advocates and allies gathered Feb. 5 at the intersection of Routes 9 and 47 in Middle Township to show solidarity with immigrants and demand protections for all. Cape May County Indivisible held “We Stand with Immigrants” aimed at bringing awareness to human rights and called for an end to the raids, deportations and other “racist and violent policies of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the Trump administration.”
— A remarkable historical discovery was made in the rafters of the former Allen African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of Cape May during renovation of the 155-year-old building, which was soon to become the Clemans Theater at Allen AME Church, the first permanent home in the 45-year history of East Lynne Theater Company. A note or possible receipt, dated 1891, written by the Rev. Alexander Herritage Newton, was found by Kyle Carter of DKC Contractors as he worked on scaffolding in the rafters; the note, written on aged parchment, was nailed to a beam.
— Lower Cape May Regional High School’s Chase Hansen continued to prove he is one of the best in the state. At 138 pounds, the junior wrestler picked up his third region title in as many years during the Region 8 tournament at Williamstown High School. Hansen earned the No. 5 seed in the state finals and finished in fourth place. The three-time defending district and regional champion made a deep run through the consolation bracket to secure a top placement in the biggest tournament of the year.
— Lower Cape May Regional High School’s Ty Bonner topped 1,000 career points Feb. 27 as the Caper Tiger basketball team defeated Barnegat High School 59-51 in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II playoffs. Bonner led all players with 25 points.
MARCH
— Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock issued a stern warning for owners of short-term rentals who do not have a mercantile license. City Manager Paul Dietrich said the Municipal Taxation and Revenue Advisory Committee completed an analysis on short-term rentals and their effect on the community that showed that 15 percent to 20 percent of the current listings do not have a mercantile license.
— Lower Township Manager Michael Laffey said March 3 that the township received permits to replace five bayside outfalls pipes — those in the worst condition — of the 15 and was almost at the finish line of receiving U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval.
— A Cape May mother was charged with allegedly using an electric dog shock collar on her children. Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano, 30, of Broad Street, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of witness tampering with threat of force and one count of hindering. In addition, Sonia Feliciano, 59, the alleged victims’ maternal grandmother, was charged with hindering and tampering with evidence.
— An estimated 600 people lined Tilton Road outside the Northfield office of U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew on March 13, calling for the congressman to support the people of southern New Jersey. Van Drew voted to support a bill approved Feb. 25 that called for a minimum of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts and as much as $4.5 trillion worth of new tax cuts over the next decade.
— Cape May moved forward with limits on the amount of recycling homeowners and businesses can put out for collection. City Council introduced an ordinance March 18 that would amend the recycling code to establish limits on collection and require private collection for amounts exceeding those limits.
— The State House Commission unanimously granted approval to Cape May’s land diversion proposal, providing the space for construction of a police station. The approval allowed the city to exchange 6.6 acres of environmentally sensitive land adjacent to the Sewell Tract for 0.137 acres at the Lafayette Street Park that is part of the state Green Acres program.
— Lower Township Council adopted a resolution opposing Atlantic City Electric’s 17.23% rate increase, which was set to take effect June 1. Another 8% increase was up for consideration in April. The average customer’s bill was expected to increase by $28 under the first increase alone. The resolution called for ACE to withdraw its application to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities for the additional 8% increase.
— The sale of a beach property in Cape May generated a buzz on social media and with Philadelphia news station, but the lot was deeded as open space and nothing coulb be built there. Listed for $1 million, the 8-acre property at 610 Beach Ave. extends to the Atlantic Ocean. City Council discussed the issue during closed session March 18 but took no action.
APRIL
— Cape May native Aylin Alvarez Santiago was part of a group that won two awards April 5 at the Television Academy Foundation’s 44th College Television Awards in Los Angeles. The 2019 Lower Cape May Regional High School graduate, along with 15 classmates, won Best in News and the Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award for “Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics.”
— Lower Township Council passed its 2025 budget April 7 with a 1.5-cent increase in the local tax rate. The $35 million spending plan was down $592,562 from the previous year and included a tax rate of 63.3 cents per $100 of assessed value. The increase amounted to $15 for every $100,000 of assessed value or a total municipal tax of $1,266 on a $200,000 home.
— Cape May Point Borough Commission passed its 2025 budget April 9, calling for a 1.7-cent increase in the local tax rate. The $2.4 million spending plan was up $1,009 from the previous year and the tax levy was up $104,000 to $1,808,088. The budget raised the tax rate to 36.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. The increase amounts to $17 for every $100,000 or a total municipal tax of $1,460 on a $400,000 home.
— West Cape May Borough Commission approved its $3,839,238 municipal budget April 9 with no increase in the local purpose tax rate, which stayed at 43.1 cents per $100 of assessed value. The tax levy increased $30,000 to $2,335,221. That is a smaller increase than the previous year’s increase of $49,000, or 2.1 percent.
— Cape May set a limit on how much recycling it will pick up at the curb each week, forcing residents and business owners to deal with any overflow. City Council unanimously passed an ordinance April 15 establishing limits on residential and commercial collection. Single-family and two-family properties are now permitted 192 gallons total per week, with individual containers not exceeding one 96-gallon can. Properties of three or more units are permitted one 96-gallon can per unit, not to exceed six such cans (up to 576 gallons total) or a 2-yard dumpster per week.
— City Council expressed support April 15 for a monument to honor U.S. Navy sailors who gave their lives during the World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic, which was being planned for a prominent location in Cape May. The city was the chosen location because the destroyer the USS Jacob Jones, the first U.S. warship to be attacked by a German U-Boat following Germany’s declaration of war against the United States, was sunk just miles off the city’s shoreline. A total of 131 officers and crew perished.
— East Lynne Theater Company named Mark David Boberick to a new position as executive director effective immediately. Boberick, of Wildwood Crest, joined East Lynne’s board of trustees in 2023. Most recently, he shared president duties with Susan Tischler, who will remain in that role.
— The Longest Yarn exhibit opened April 14 at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum. The three-dimensional wool tapestry, knitted and crocheted by hundreds of volunteers worldwide, tells the story of D-Day, June 6, 1944, when the Allies launched a full-scale invasion against Germany in Normandy, France, during World War II.
— Cape May City Council introduced its 2025 budget April 15 with no increase in the local tax rate for the sixth straight year. The $27,985,635 spending plan required a tax levy of $10,932,100, which was $750,505 below the state cap on increases. The municipal tax rate remained at 36.1 cents per $100 of assessed value.
— The regional school tax will rise in Cape May and Lower Township and decrease in West Cape May under the 2025-26 spending plan, which cuts four positions via attrition. The Lower Cape May Regional School District adopted its $35,394,658 budget April 30. The overall spending plan was down $3.3 million from the current year, which the district attributed to a $700,000 loss of aid and the use of capital reserve, maintenance reserve and prior year encumbrances for capital improvements. The tax levy was up nearly $1 million to $25,461,484.
— West Cape May Borough Commission passed a resolution April 23 approving installation of a crosswalk at the intersection of Stevens Street and Sea Grove Avenue with Sunset Boulevard. Deputy Mayor George Dick said commissioners had received many calls about intersections along Broadway.
MAY
— The Cape May City Elementary School Board of Education adopted its $5.386 million budget May 1, calling for a rate decrease of 5.8 cents to 35.2 cents per $100 of assessed value. Taxpayers saw their bill drop by $58 to $352 for every $100,000 of assessed value.
— The public was invited to the Cape May Community Center on May 3 as the city held the grand opening and offered tours. When remodeling began for the new library at Franklin Street School in 2021, the city took a survey of homeowners for the preferred future of the building at 110 Ocean St. and found a community center was what many proposed. Dozens showed up to see the final product.
— Despite objections and pleas to reconsider, City Council approved rules allowing leashed dogs on the new nature trails at Lafayette Street Park.
— During a presentation May 13 to the Cape May County Board of Commissioners, the Open Space Advisory Committee recommended approval and funding for Harborview Park in Cape May and David C. Douglass Memorial Park in Lower Township.
— The annual Coast Guard Community Festival returned to Training Center Cape May on May 17, when the public got a rare inside look at the workings of an active-duty U.S. Coast Guard base, its vessels, aircraft and the missions it performs.
— Man’s best friend will likely not be allowed on the new nature trails at Lafayette Street Park after Councilman Shaine Meier asked City Council to reconsider the approval. Meier said May 20 he had received several emails from people who are opposed to allowing dogs on the trails. Cape May City Elementary School Board of Education solicitor Christopher Barrett said the BOE shared many of Meier’s concerns about dogs and supports his suggestion for reconsidering the ordinance.
— The newly renovated former Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church officially opened as the new home of East Lynne Theater Company on May 22. The rain did not stop the community from gathering to celebrate a moment of historic preservation and a new beginning, but it did move the event inside the fire station.
— The ninth-seeded Lower Cape May Regional High School baseball team (12-15) topped No. 8 seed Barnegat Township (11-12) on May 27 in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II sectional. The Caper Tigers put together two big innings to start the game, scoring eight runs, and then polished off Barnegat with a three-run sixth inning for the 11-4 victory.
JUNE
CAPE MAY — City Council reversed course on allowing dogs on the new nature trails at Lafayette Street Park. Council introduced an amended ordinance June 3 regarding prohibited conduct in parks and recreation areas.
— City Council introduced several bond ordinances June 3 to complete several capital project. One appropriated $8.7 million for water-sewer utility improvements, another $2.35 million for improvements to existing water-sewer infrastructure and facilities and a third $2 million for beach utility work, which includes improvements to public buildings and boardwalk improvements, as well as renovation of Cape May Beach Patrol headquarters.
— It’s not summer until vendors and businesses set up their stands at Wilbraham Park for West Cape May’s Strawberry Festival. This year’s festival went on without a hitch June 8, despite the rainy weekend. The annual market has been a signal of the start of summer in the borough since 2000.
— Cape May and the New Jersey Historical Commission unveiled the first New Jersey Black Heritage Trail historical marker June 11 at the Franklin Street School. The marker recognizes the school and the determination of Cape May’s Black community to provide equal educational opportunities to their children.
— CAPE MAY — The city is continuing to work on ADA compliance projects, including an upgrade at the Cape May Tennis Center. City Manager Paul Deitrich told City Council on June 17 that the work will include the addition of handicapped parking, a ramp to the pavilion and accessible pathways. The city received a Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Small Cities Grant of $270,672 with a 10 percent match.
— The Class of 2025 gathered on the field at Lower Cape May Regional High School for the final time June 18, sharing smiles and memories from their four years leading up to the graduation ceremony. While the 183 students’ futures may be bright, the event was held beneath brooding skies threatening rain. Class President Sophia Vitelli introduced the class, followed by “Pomp and Circumstance” by the band.
— An Erma man was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a minor following his arrest June 17. Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Middle Township Police Chief Tracey Super announced the arrest of Eric Hazel, 52, of the 900 block of Lenape Drive.
— Six people were arrested in connection with the $300,000+ burglary May 5, 2024, at Queen May Jewelry Store on the Washington Street Mall. Authorities reported at the time that a rare Louis Vuitton trunk bearing the name of Jenny Hecht was stolen as well as handbags from Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel. Each handbag carries a serial number that had been entered in a database of stolen merchandise.
— North Cape May resident Joseph T. Madden IV, 30, was arrested June 30 on charges of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to authorities, the investigation stemmed from a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children cybertip that revealed Madden downloaded/uploaded various images of CSAM.
JULY
— Strength and conditioning are the cornerstones of the training philosophy of Matt Danze, the new athletic director for the Lower Cape May Regional School District. Danze, who was health and physical education: fitness and wellness coordinator/strength and conditioning at Lower Cape May Regional for the past three years, took over July 1 from former athletic director Erik Simonsen.
— Months after a nonprofit organization stepped in at the request of the city to operate the Welcome Center, Cape May City Council and Cape May MAC made the arrangement official for the next few years. City Council introduced an ordinance July 1 to authorize a lease agreement for the Welcome Center at 609 Lafayette St. with MAC that would run from Sept. 2 until the end of 2027.
— Lower Township Manager Michael Laffey said Township Council has been working with NJ Transit and the state Department of Transportation to add more bus stops in the area. On July 7, Laffey said there will be a few bus stops relocated on Seashore Road, south of the Cape May Canal, and six bus stops along Breakwater Road. The added stops are on the 552 route, which takes passengers from Bayshore Road at the north end of Villas to the Cape May County Airport in Erma.
— The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection scaled back its proposed coastal flood rules. The DEP announced July 14 that it would adopt the Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) rules “with changes responsive to public comment and stakeholder feedback.” The biggest change was lowering the coastal flood zone elevation for new buildings — and ones that are substantially improved — from 5 feet to 4 feet.
— Those planning a monument honoring the USS Jacobs Jones and other vessels and crews lost during the Battle of the Atlantic have proposed a new location but were faced with the same objections as their first three. Jacob Jones Memorial Committee founder Myles Martel and Cape May resident John Boecker, the monument architect, changed the location twice before presenting the latest plan July 15 following criticism and pushback from the public.
— Painter Brian DeMusz, 64, died July 20 following a battle with cancer. He was fondly remembered by many business owners and residents for his larger-than-life murals. His artistry and dedication are evident from the dozens of business logos, store signs and other pieces painted all over town.
— Lt. Sara Werner placed second in the Cape May Point Beach Patrol Women’s Lifeguard Challenge on July 23, following Becca Cubbler the Avalon Beach Patrol. The currents around St. Pete’s beach were rough on that beautiful summer evening, wreaking havoc with the 55 competitors in the challenge. Werner and Cubbler navigated the shifting waters of Delaware Bay better than the others.
AUGUST
— The Delaware River and Bay Authority proposed building a hotel at the Cape May Ferry Terminal. Shaun O’Brien, DRBA food and retail superintendent, presented the concept to Township Council on Aug. 4. He said a hotel on Sandman Boulevard in North Cape May would bring 47 to 55 full-time jobs to the area and about $17.3 million in annual visitor spending.
— Residents dominated the public comment portion of the City Council meeting Aug. 5 with concerns about the proposed USS Jacob Jones memorial monument. The monument, which is meant to honor the World War II-era ship and other vessels and crews lost during the Battle of the Atlantic, has been through several iterations and presentations to council.
— Residents from the Diamond Beach section of Lower Township expressed concerns Aug. 4 regarding a plan for redevelopment in the 9900 block of Pacific Avenue that would replace popular businesses with housing. The commercial area includes Carini Ristorante & Pizzeria, South Station Market, Beach Bums gift shop and Harbor Light Mini Golf & Ice Cream.
— The city is moving forward with plans to renovate Harborview Park at the end of Texas Avenue. Landscape architect Nicole Welsh of Engineering Design Associates presented an overview of the plan to City Council on Aug. 19, detailing the current state of the park and proposed work. The plan includes a shade pavilion, table sets, game tables, a continuous curved bench, sculptures, new concrete sidewalks, steps and ramps, path lighting, a railing system, benches, planters, local sculptures, functional art and trash receptacles.
— U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew promised southern New Jersey mayors Aug. 26 to provide a stable supply of funding for shore protection, a week after Hurricane Erin pummeled the coast. He was joined by leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Environmental Protection at his office in Northfield to discuss immediate and long-term solutions to protect southern New Jersey’s beaches.
SEPTEMBER
— A car crashed into Collier’s Liquor Store just after 7:15 p.m. Sept. 2. The airbags deployed, but no one was seriously injured. At the time of the accident, there was one employee inside the office at 202 Jackson St. The employee suffered minor scrapes and scratches.
— Cape May City Elementary and West Cape May Elementary school districts received a $50,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to consider merging and issued a joint request for a proposal from independent consulting firms to conduct a consolidation study.
— City Council awarded an $8.6 million contract Sept. 15 to Ogren Construction of Vineland for the construction of the Cape May Police Department headquarters. The police station will be located at the corner of Lafayette and St. Johns streets, in a former part of Lafayette Street Park. The new building will unite the CMPD, as it is currently divided between two buildings, with one operating out of City Hall and the other at the substation in West Cape May.
— Seven people sought three seats on West Cape May Borough Commission, including two incumbents running in slates against one another. All three positions were up for grabs Nov. 4 in the borough, where Mayor Carol Sabo was not seeking re-election, opting instead to run for the state Assembly.
— As Cape May pursues funding to replace its desalination plant, the existing facility continues to show why it is falling short of the job requirements. City Council introduced a bond ordinance and companion resolution Sept. 16 providing for improvements to the water treatment system for $350,000 in emergency appropriations.
— The Sunset Beach Sportsmen’s Club lost its appeal of an eviction order from the state Department of Environmental Protection and now must vacate its longtime clubhouse. The state Superior Court Appellate Division ruled Sept. 30 that the private club failed to prove the trial judge erred by awarding DEP summary judgment in the case May 7, 2024.
— The Lower Cape May Regional High School Caper Tiger girls tennis team knocked off No. 8 seed West Deptford 5-0 on Sept. 30 in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group I tournament. First singles Ainsley Reed, a senior, and third singles Mia Gilbert, a sophomore, gave up only one game each in their 6-0, 6-1 victories. Second singles Bryn Popdan, another senior, also won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, as did first doubles Kayla Heinold and Reilly Fitzpatrick, 6-1, 6-2. Second doubles Grace Dematteis and Leah Harkins split their sets, winning 6-4 in the first and falling 1-6 in the second before winning the tie-breaker 10-7.
OCTOBER
— A staunch advocate for gay rights, Vince Grimm served for more than 30 years as executive director of GABLES of Cape May County. He died Oct. 4 in his home.
— West Cape May received a $700,000 local infrastructure grant to help fund its share of a pedestrian bridge project. The project would connect the borough’s West Grant Street with First Avenue in Cape May.
—– Aviation Sports Complex LLC is working on a $7 million project to bring a massive bubble dome indoor athletic complex to life at the Cape May County Airport. The project was initially announced in early 2024. The air-supported dome would have 100,000 square feet of playing space attached to a 15,000-square-foot “welcome center” with other facilities.
— Cape May County is negotiating along parallel tracks with the Delaware River and Bay Authority over the Cape May County Airport in Erma. Key points on both tracks are getting much more local control of the airport, including the ambitious proposal for several hundred units of mixed-income housing there to create “a city within a city” on a 33-acre parcel at the airport for a housing project that would be affordable for local families.
— As health insurance premiums continue to rise, Township Council passed three resolutions Oct. 20 to change employee health benefits. Council voted unanimously to terminate all participation under the State Health Benefits Program, including drug plans and dental coverage.
— As towns in New Jersey continue to grapple with delays at the state level to regulate electric bicycles, Cape May joined Lower Township and West Cape May in introducing an ordinance prohibiting the use of E-bikes and other vehicles on sidewalks, and requiring riders to comply with traffic control signals and signs.
— West Cape May joined its neighboring communities moving toward regulation of electric bicycles and other vehicles. The Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance Oct. 29 that would establish regulations governing the operation of E-bikes and scooters. Mayor Carol Sabo said Lower Township introduced the same ordinance and shared it with Cape May and Cape May Point so the communities have unifying language.
— The Cape May City Elementary School Board of Education voted Oct. 16 to accept Stockton University’s proposal to perform a feasibility study on merging with West Cape May Elementary School Board of Education, which followed suit Oct. 30.
NOVEMBER
— Junior quarterback David Douglas scored five rushing touchdowns Nov. 1 to lead the Caper Tiger football team to its first playoff victory in its 104th season. Lower Cape May Regional High School handily defeated the Gloucester High School Lions 34-13 in the opening game of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II tournament. The Caper Tigers, who improved to 8-2 on the season under head coach Bill Damiana, were undefeated at 5-0 in the West Jersey Football League Liberty Division.
— Haddonfield High School ended Lower Cape May Regional High School’s historic football season Nov. 8 in the semifinals of the South Jersey Group II sectional tournament. In spite of a blazing start and some big kickoff returns, the Caper Tigers could not stop the Bulldogs, falling 28-13 on the road.
— Running as a slate, George Dick, Susan Hoffman and Ellen McDevitt out-polled their four opponents Nov. 4 in the Borough Commission election, winning four-year terms. Hoffman collected the most votes, 338, followed by incumbent deputy mayor Dick with 331 and McDevitt with 318. Incumbent Jack Antonicello garnered 242 votes, followed by Dawn Vitagliano with 190, Hamilton Wilde with 188 and Joseph Gilmartin with 179.
— Following an arduous and lengthy journey to bring the $8.6 million Cape May Police Department headquarters to fruition, officials finally broke ground Nov. 12 at the corner of Lafayette and St. John’s streets. The anticipated completion is spring 2027. Mayor Zack Mullock and City Council, Police Chief Dekon Fashaw, members of the Cape May police and fire departments, state Assemblyman Erik Simonsen, West Cape May Mayor Carol Sabo and Deputy Mayor George Dick were in attendance.
— The Veterans Memorial Design Committee has completed the first phase of a Veterans Memorial to be built off Oak Avenue in Cape May Point. The committee presented an update during the Borough Commission meeting Nov. 11, including the $165,500 budget to complete the plan as envisioned. The first phase of the memorial is complete. Work included adding topsoil and grading, and installing a flagpole, carved granite, foundations and benches. The final cost was $51,888, funded by $50,000 from the Wrotny estate and a portion of a $2,785 gift from the Cape May Point Taxpayers Association.
— The Cape May County Board of Commissioners voted Nov. 12 to expand recreational opportunities for residents while reducing the cost of a major county capital project. The board authorized a memorandum of agreement with Aviation Sports Complex LLC, the developers of a state-of-the-art indoor sports facility approved at the Cape May County Airport. Under the partnership, county youth sports programs, school teams and recreational leagues will gain access to the indoor complex, which is being built independent of county government as part of a private development, according to the commissioners.
— Department of Public Works Superintendent Eric Prusinski told City Council that, despite a few issues, no fines or violations had been issued since the recycling ordinance was changed earlier in the year. City Council unanimously passed an ordinance in April that limited collection and required private collection for amounts exceeding those limits. Single-family and two-family properties were permitted 192 gallons total per week, with individual containers not exceeding a 96-gallon can. Properties of three or more units are permitted one 96-gallon can per unit, not to exceed six such cans (up to 576 gallons total) or a 2-yard dumpster per week.
— Lower Township’s tax base rose by nearly $38 million to $3.798 billion, an increase of about 1 percent. Tax assessor Elizabeth Ross provided Township Council with an update on the 2025 added assessment value during its meeting Nov. 17. She said the $37,825,050 in added assessment raises the aggregate municipal value by 1 percent.
— City Council unanimously passed an amended ordinance Nov. 17 regulating the operation of E-bikes and scooters. The rules require riders to follow all traffic laws. Cape May joins its neighboring communities of Lower Township and West Cape May in passing an ordinance on E-bikes.
— Borough Commission discussed the potential implementation of a rental tax on transient accommodations Nov. 25. Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger said she began researching the possibility of taxing short-term rentals, especially after reviewing five-year beach revenue projections. She estimated the borough could collect $100,000 a year in rental tax, noting both Lower Township and West Cape May had enacted the tax and Stone Harbor is putting one in place.
— As millions of monarch butterflies arrive in Mexico, 500 of the insects are tagged with ultralight BluMorpho and Blu+ transmitters to help scientists gather individual-level data on their migration navigation. The Cape May Point Arts & Science Center (CMPASC) and Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT) started Project Monarch in 2021 as a local initiative to use test transmitters to track butterflies as they travel thousands of miles to reach Mexico to overwinter. Smartphone users can download the Project Monarch app to follow butterflies with tracking devices. The project reached a historic milestone, achieving the most comprehensive tracking study of monarch butterfly migration ever conducted. CMPASC and CTT have collaborated with multiple monarch researchers spanning the United States, Canada, Cuba and Mexico.
DECEMBER
— Cape May is waiting for one final permit to move forward with replacement of its aging desalination plant. Consulting and Municipal Engineers Associates presented a project update to City Council on Dec. 2, when managing partner David Samuel said officials have secured all of the necessary approvals except for a land use permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). He expects that in the first or second week of January. The next step will be finalizing designs and soliciting bids.
